People Operations Manager

COMPANY 🌱RYZE was founded in 2019 by Andrée Werner and Rashad Hossain, out of a parents' basement, with a mission to change daily health, starting with the morning routine: a nutrient-dense mushroom coffee delivering clean energy, mental clarity, and immune support. Built on a Direct-to-Consumer foundation with a performance marketing engine, RYZE achieved hockey-stick growth and a community of over 1 million active subscribers.

DTC remains the foundation, but RYZE has expanded into mass retail, quickly becoming the #2 items in Target's overall coffee category and is now executing a multi-channel expansion, with a cross-category launch coming in early 2027. RYZE is uniquely positioned to redefine how people think about daily wellness.

We’re a lean, fast-moving, mission-driven team who believe daily rituals create the foundation for living your greatest life, and we’re just getting started!
WHAT YOU'LL DO 🎯

We are seeking a People Operations Manager to lead our frontline people support and drive operational and strategic HR and People Operations processes. In this role, you will serve as a trusted advisor to managers across the company and own key people operations service areas (e.g., benefits and leave, compensation operations, multi-state compliance, immigration, reporting, unemployment claims). You will translate People Ops strategy into practical, team-level action while improving the processes that make the function run.

Responsibilities will include:

• Define and evolve team processes, tools, and communication practices to drive consistency
• Lead execution of company-wide programs (performance reviews, merit communications, benefits education, engagement surveys) and provide input into program design
• Collaborate with Payroll, Finance, Talent Acquisition, Legal, and IT on rollout and adoption, and bring field feedback to refine policies and processes
• Oversee benefits administration and manage relationships with the broker, carriers, and plan administrators, including billing reconciliation with Finance
• Lead open enrollment end-to-end and support benefits program reviews and vendor assessments
• Own leave of absence administration (FMLA, state-mandated, parental, personal, military), including multi-state compliance, payroll coordination, and return-to-work and accommodation planning
• Own assigned HR service areas and respond to unemployment claim inquiries
• Oversee compensation changes (adjustments, promotions, reclassifications, off-cycle increases) and support merit and bonus cycles end-to-end
• Build compensation tools and manager guides, and support pay equity analysis and the maintenance of grade structures and salary bands
• Partner with Finance on compensation budgeting, headcount cost modeling, and payroll reconciliation
• Own employer state registrations, Powers of Attorney, and state payroll tax, SUI, and workers’ compensation accounts, ensuring registration is in place before employees start in a new state
• Respond to state agency notices and keep audit-ready records of registrations and compliance filings
• Serve as an escalation point for employee relations issues, manager coaching, and conflict resolution
• Partner with Legal and the Director of People Ops on ER investigations, documentation, and risk mitigation
• Advise on federal, state, and local employment law compliance (wage and hour, I-9, leave, data privacy) and ensure consistent policy application
• Translate People strategy (workforce planning, retention, talent management, career development) into tactical actions
• Identify patterns across business units and recommend solutions and process improvements to People leadership
• Serve as the key intake point for employee and manager questions, resolving moderate-complexity issues with People Generalists, global admin staff, and Senior People Partners

Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent combination of experience and education); Master’s or HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SPHR) preferred
• 7+ years of progressive HR experience, including leading a People Partner or People Generalist team in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
• Proven track record of designing and implementing strategic HR initiatives
• Strong knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and best practices, including multi-state compliance, leave laws, COBRA, and ACA
• Experience with benefits, leave, and compensation administration, including merit and bonus cycles
• Deep understanding of the employee lifecycle, manager coaching, and HR best practices
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and EQ, with the ability to influence at all levels and deliver feedback with clarity
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; advanced Excel and PowerPoint; hands-on experience with HRIS (Rippling preferred), ATS, and data analytics
• Ability to quickly learn new systems and act as an SME for key systems and processes

WHAT WE OFFER 🌟

• Competitive compensation aligned with experience and market benchmarks.
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Paid time off and company-observed holidays.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• A collaborative, inclusive, and supportive work environment.
• Access to tools, resources, and training to support success in the role.